Economic Change Unit

Prevailing political-economic ideas and policies have failed. There is an emerging movement seeking to shift to a set of ideas and policies appropriate to overcome social, economic, and environmental problems. This movement has grown in size and scope since the financial crisis. However, a lack of strategic coordination and communication presents a major barrier to progress. Having assessed this movement in the U.K. against a theory of change, we propose the creation of a "strategic platform" that would help develop the intellectual basis for a shift in economic ideas and convene and support those committed to accelerating economic systems change. The platform would achieve this by undertaking more concerted communications efforts; building professional and social networks across "insider" communities in established institutions and brokering active relationships between insiders and "outsider" campaign organizations; and facilitating the recognition of and action toward strategic opportunities for change. It would also assist in joining the U.K. movement to comparable groups in the U.S., Europe, and across the world. Funding will go toward an initial one-year program, to staff the platform and resource its activities.